Chevron Fined Over Pollution In Nine Months
NEW ORLEANS (UPP)—A federal judge fined the Chevron Oil Co. $1 million Wednesday for violating antipollution regulations and causing the largest oil slick in the history of the Gulf of Mexico.
Chevron pleaded no contest to 500 violations of federal rules and U.S. District Judge Alvin Rubin fined the firm $2,000 for each violation.
A cluster of oil wells blew out on an offshore Chevron platform last Feb. 10, causing a fire that spewed crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico for a month. A chocolate colored slick for weeks threatened Louisiana's multimillion dollar seafood beds.
A grand jury May 5 indicted Chevron on 900 counts of failure to equip its offshore wells with proper safety and antipollution
devices. The company pleaded no contest to 500 violations and Judge Rubin dropped the other 400.
The judge said Chevron failed to equip the wells that caused the slick with devices called "storm chokes" which automatically shut down potentially hazardous wells when pressure builds too high.
U. S. Attorney Gerald Galling-house who prosecuted the case said the Interior Department told him Chevron now is in compliance with federal regulations requiring the installation and maintenance of storm chokes on all wells capable of producing oil.
I hope this decision will help inspire all industries to follow federal regulations," Galling-house said.
Abandoned Buildings termed Fire Traps
NEW YORK (UPI)—The head of the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) charged Wednesday that thousands of abandoned buildings throughout the city are being used as a training ground by arsonists.
The charge was made by Michael J. Maye, president of the UFA, after what he termed "an extensive personal tour yesterday (Tuesday) of abandoned buildings in the Bronx and Manhattan where firefighters have been injured fighting repeat fires, most of which are set on purpose."
He estimated there are some 6,000 abandoned buildings in the city and demanded that the city either rehabilitate, brick up or tear down these "perilous fire traps."
Maye said the abandoned buildings first became "havens for narcotics addicts, derelicts and alcoholics and are some times used as bomb factories where extremists manufacture Molotov cocktails and other explosive devices.
"Arsonists use these buildings as a training ground.
"Most abandoned buildings quickly become the scene of repeat fires and, after each blaze is put out, the building becomes more and more dangerous to firefighters," he said.
"The New York firefighter should not be asked to continue risking his life in death traps that can and should be removed—or rehabilitated," Maye said.
Weekend Events Set For Country Clubbers
Newly arrived KU students need not look far for country club week activities. The Student Union Activities (SUA) and various Lawrence establishments are providing plenty of diversions to fill the spare time before the opening of classes.
Movies playing at local theaters cater to a wide range of tastes. The Granada Theater, 1020 Massachusetts, is offering "Woodstock" all week, "Z," "Airport," and "Too Late the Hero" are appearing at the Hillcrest Theaters, 9th & Iowa. For those whose taste runs toward Walt Disney, the Varsity Theater, 1015 Massachusetts, is showing a Disney double feature, "The Lovebug" and "The Jungle Bug." "Easy Rider" and "The Chase" are playing at the Sunset Theater, RFD 1. All of these films run through Saturday.
A good place to meet old friends and, at the same time, get some exercise is at one of the Lawrence dancing establishments.
Tonight and tomorrow night Red Dog Inn visitors can groove to the sounds of The Jerry Hahn Brotherhood with Mike Finnegan (formerly of the Serfs), The Brownsville Station and the Kindred. Saturday night Sweetwater will team up with the Kindred to provide the entertainment at the Red Dog. Admission is $2.50 a person Thursday and Friday and $3.00 a person Saturday.
The Preachers are playing all
all week at the Yuk Down, 925 Iowa.
Admission is $1.50 a couple Monday through Thursday and $3.00 a couple Friday and Saturday.
24 KANSAN Aug. 27 1970
Campus events sponsored by SUA offer other possible diversions. The last in a series of free films in Woodruff Auditorium will be shown tonight. "Knock on Any Door" will be at 7 p.m. and "The Last Hurrah" appears at 9 p.m. The free film series started Tuesday.
The Draughthouse will feature
The Green River Ordinance tonight and tomorrow and the Tide Saturday. Admission is $1.50 every night.
THE JERRY HAIN
BROTHERHOOD
**Including:**
One Man Woman/Captain Bobby Stout
Early Bird Cafe/Thursday Thing/Ramblin'
On Columbia Records $2.99 KIEF'S
Records & Stereo
Malls Shopping Ctr
The Students Friend
Come in for One Stop Banking
Checking Accounts—Savings Accounts—Loans
Douglas County State Bank
9th & Kentucky
Shirt sale for co-eds.
Tailored classics, body shirts, safari looks and more. Solids. Stripes. Prints. Long sleeves and roll-ups. Many with never-iron Penn-Prest®. Misses and junior sizes. So C'mon—don't take the shirt off his back!